THE F

IVE M

AJOR

RELIGIO

NS

HUMANITIE

S 8: M

R . O’S

HEA

FOCUS OF LESSON

Compare and contrast the tenets of the five major world religions (i.e., Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Judaism).

MAIN MENU

Christianity

Islam

Hinduism Judaism

Buddhism

CHRISTIANITY

The early Hebrews who eventually developed into the Jewish religion became the foundation of Christianity.

Jesus, or the Messiah, was a Jewish boy who disagreed with some of the Jewish principles of his day began to profess a new way of thinking.

This eventually led to the beginning of the Christian religion.

CHRISTIANITY

Christianity started about 2000 years ago about the same time of Jesus.

The central point of Christian belief is that God, the Father, entered into human history as the Son, Jesus of Nazereth, and arose as the Holy Spirit. 

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY

God is the Creator of the universe. There is one God, Who is Three  Persons-      Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Jesus is both fully man and fully God.  He was born of the Virgin Mary  Crucified, resurrected from the dead, and ascended to the Father.

CHRISTIAN PHILOSOPHY

Sin and Evil are realities in our existence.

The Bible is the Holy Book that records God's revelation.

All believers are promised life everlasting.

The leader of Christianity was Jesus, and the followers was his 12 disciples.

Christianity: An Introduction

BUDDHISM

Founding person of Buddhism is Guatama, the Buddha

The Dalai Lama is a Buddhist monk who remains the leader of the Tibetans.

Buddhism is a major religion in China, Japan, India, and Tibet.

BUDDHISM QUOTES

“We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world.”

“To be idle is a short road to death and to be diligent is a way of life; foolish people are idle, wise people are diligent.”

“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

THE MAJOR PHILOSOPHY OF BUDDHISM

Love: without conditions Compassion: or feeling at one with

the person who is suffering Sympathetic Joy:Celebrate the

happiness of others, and do not resent their good fortune.

Impartiality: Treat everyone equally, and do not use others for personal gain or to win approval.

THE MAJOR PHILOSOPHY OF BUDDHISM

Buddhism states that existence is a continuing cycle of death and rebirth called reincarnation.

Each person's position in life is determined by his or her behavior in the previous life. This is known as their "karma" (also a Hindu belief).

ISLAM

ISLAM is the name given to the religion preached by the prophet Muhammad in the 600s A. D.

The Islamic religion started in the area known as Palestine in the year 600AD.

Islam has about 850 million followers, most of them in the region north and east of the Mediterranean Sea.

ISLAM

The holy book of Islam is the "Koran." Muslims believe its words to be those of Allah himself, spoken to Muhammad by an angel.

Allah, is the Islamic God.

People who believe these ideas are called Muslims.

ISLAMIC PHILOSOPHY

Muslims learn that life on earth is a period of testing and preparation for the life to come.

Angels record good and bad deeds.

People should behave themselves and help others, trusting in Allah's justice and mercy for their reward.

ISLAM

Muslims pray five times daily in their mosques (churches).

While praying, they face the holy city of Mecca (in Saudi-Arabia) and sometimes kneel with faces to the ground.

All Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage (trip to a sacred place) to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.

HINDUISM

HINDUISM is one of the world's oldest religions.

Over 2/3's of the world's Hindus live in India; large numbers reside in Africa also.

Hindus believe in many gods, numbering into the thousands. They recognize one supreme spirit called Brahman ("the Absolute.")

HINDU PHILOSOPHY

Hindus believe in many gods, numbering into the thousands.

They recognize one supreme spirit called Brahman (the Absolute).

The goal of Hindus is to someday join with Brahman.

Until that union takes place, believers are in a continuous process of rebirth called "reincarnation."

HINDU PHILOSOPHY

At death, the Hindu's deeds (karma) determine what the next life will be.

Followers work to break this cycle--birth, death, re-birth-- (referred to by writers as the "Wheel of Life") and gain release.

The Hindu's soul then merges with Brahman in a condition of spiritual perfection (moksha).

HINDUISM

Hinduism has many sacred books, the oldest being a series called the "Vedas.“

Traditional Hindu society was divided into groups of four classes (or varnas). This was known as the "caste system."

Hinduism: A Snapshot

JUDAISM

JUDAISM is a religion of just one people: the Jews.

JUDAISM was the first to teach belief in only one God. Two other important religions developed from Judaism: Christianity and Islam.

JUDAISM

Jews think that God will send a Messiah (a deliverer) to unite them and lead them in His way.

Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah. The Jewish people do not agree; they anticipate His arrival in the future.

Judaism teaches that death is not the end and that there is a world to come.

JUDAISM

The "Torah," the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, is the most important Jewish scripture.

It contains the basic laws of Judaism.

Another important book is the "Talmud," serving primarily as a guide to the civil and religious laws of Judaism.

JUDAISM

The Jewish house of worship is called a synagogue.

Rabbis (spiritual leaders) conduct services, act as interpreters of Jewish laws, and deliver sermons.

Today there are over 18 million followers of Judaism scattered throughout the world. A large number of those people live in the Jewish nation of Israel. Over six million live in the United States.

JEWISH PHILOSOPHY

God is one and uniqueGod is the creator God is transcendent God is immanent. God is lawgiver God is personal We have the obligation to

worshipThe Torah is God's law God is judge The Messiah will come.